What is the ruling on playing karate

Karate is one of the martial
arts, a form of self-defence using one’s hands, without any kind of
weapon. It allows hitting with the foot, fist or edge of the hand, focusing
on concentrating all one’s energy in that blow.

 The shar’i viewpoint
of this sport:

 The sport includes numerous
physical, psychological and mental benefits, and it is in accordance
with sharee’ah in some ways, and goes against it in others. Among the
ways in which it is in accordance with Islam are:

The concealing garments which cover all
the ‘awrah completely. The rules of this sport require wearing covering
garments composed of a shirt of thick white cotton, and trousers made
of the same material, which have to be wide to allow movement of the
legs and feet.

 Combatants are forbidden
to direct blows that will cause harm to their opponents. The rules of
the game dictate that attacks must be restrained, and must not cause
harm to one’s opponent, unlike the rules of boxing, for example.

 But on the other hand
this sport is not free of things that go against sharee’ah, such as
allowing blows to the face.

 In addition, it includes
some religious rituals that are derived from local Indian religions,
such as the exchange of greetings between the combatants, which take
the form of bows that are similar to rukoo’ (the Muslim does not bow
to anyone except Allaah), and the exercises such as keeping silent and
focusing or meditating, which are derived from the religious rituals
of Buddhism, etc. All of these are totally rejected by Islam.

 But it is not forbidden to practise
this sport once these issues have been eliminated. It is possible to
eliminate them on an unofficial level, even if it is not possible to
do so on an official and international level.  It is not essential
to learn these skills at the level of championships and clubs which
adhere to these matters and view them as an essential part of the sport
which everyone who practises it must adhere to.